At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, veteran athletes such as baseball pitcher Gwak Bin, basketball center Jang Jae-seok, fencer Oh Sang-uk, and football striker Lee Young-jun secured gold medals despite having already completed their mandatory military service, putting national pride ahead of personal exemption benefits, sports.donga.com reported.
Redeeming the Ace Role on the International Mound
For baseball representative Gwak Bin, the tournament offered a crucial chance at redemption. Having received a military exemption when the national team won the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games without him taking the mound due to injury, he shouldered criticism regarding a perceived unearned benefit, according to sports.donga.com.
He silenced those doubts by anchoring the rotation for the team’s fifth title. Gwak opened the tournament on September 21 by tossing six scoreless innings with ten strikeouts against Taiwan, then delivered 6.1 innings of one-run ball in the final against Japan on September 27 to secure a 3-1 victory.
Oh Sang-Uk Leads Fencing Team to Gold
In fencing, Oh Sang-uk stepped into the role of team leader. Having secured his military exemption at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games alongside senior teammates, Oh guided younger squad members Do Kyung-dong, Park Sang-won, and Hwang Hee-geun to a fourth men’s sabre team title for South Korea, sports.donga.com reported. He also claimed the individual gold to capture two titles and earned MVP honors from the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old basketball veteran Jang Jae-seok made his first Asian Games appearance. Facing towering centers such as Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al-Suwailem and Japan’s Alex Kirk, Jang posted 18 points and 8 rebounds in the matchup against Japan, anchoring a defense that swept six games to win gold.
| Athlete | Sport | Milestone / Contribution | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gwak Bin | Baseball | Started final vs. Japan; 6.1 IP, 1 ER | Gold (5th straight) |
| Oh Sang-uk | Fencing | Individual & Team Sabre titles; MVP | Gold (4th straight team) |
| Jang Jae-seok | Basketball | 18 PTS, 8 REB vs. Japan interior defense | Gold (6-0 sweep) |
| Lee Young-jun | Football | 3 goals across 4 matches as target striker | Gold (4th straight) |
Answering the Call for the Football Frontline
Because the Asian Games fall outside official FIFA windows, clubs carry no mandatory release obligation, making the recruitment of pre-vetted, military-completed talent vital. Striker Lee Young-jun completed his service at Gimcheon Sangmu in July 2024, yet chose to join the under-23 squad despite a late integration due to club commitments, sports.donga.com reported.
Operating as the central target forward, Lee netted three goals across four matches to help secure a fourth men’s football title for South Korea, demonstrating that the weight of the national badge remains a powerful motivator even without exemption stakes.
